BOZEMAN – Family and friends Monday mourned the death of Tara Bowman, the 36-year-old woman who died in the explosion that rocked downtown Bozeman Thursday.
“She was an incredible gift to everyone who met her,” said Chris Bunting, her friend and yoga instructor.
Bowman was director of the Montana Trails Gallery, which was leveled in the blast last week. She was the only casualty of the explosion. Her body was found in the rubble about noon Sunday.
Tara lived with her husband, Chris Bowman, in south Bozeman.
Steve Zabel, owner of Montana Trails Gallery, hired Tara Bowman seven years ago.
“She ran the show there,” he told the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. “She loved everybody and knew everybody’s name, even if they hadn’t been in for years. She was my buddy and just a very special gal.”
Bozeman artist Aaron Schuerr said he lost more than just his 20 paintings at the gallery last week. He lost a friend and advocate.
“Tara was extraordinarily rare in the art gallery world,” Schuerr said. “She worked tirelessly for the artist and she was extremely unselfish. For most artists she was the gallery director and a friend. She was an advocate for things beautiful which, I think, made her a beautiful person.”